{"id":605712,"date":"2026-03-04T13:21:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T13:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/605712\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T13:21:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T13:21:20","slug":"notable-nfl-player-who-were-drafted-to-mlb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/605712\/","title":{"rendered":"Notable NFL player who were drafted to MLB"},"content":{"rendered":"

The worlds of the National Football League (NFL)<\/a> and Major League Baseball (MLB)<\/a> rarely overlap, but every so often an athlete comes along with the talent to pursue both. These multi-sport standouts possess the kind of rare athleticism that allows them to excel on the football field while also attracting attention from professional baseball scouts. In some cases, baseball teams drafted these athletes while they were still in high school or college, recognizing their speed, arm strength, or raw potential on the diamond. Ultimately, many of them chose football as their primary career path, where they went on to become stars at the professional level.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Top 10 lifetime contract earnings in NFL, MLB & NBA<\/a><\/p>\n

The list of NFL players who were also drafted by MLB organizations reads like a collection of elite athletes from different eras. Legendary figures such as Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson famously managed to play both sports professionally, demonstrating just how extraordinary their physical gifts were. Others\u2014including Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Kyler Murray\u2014were talented enough to be drafted by MLB teams but ultimately committed to football before ever playing in the major leagues. Even quarterbacks like Russell Wilson spent time in minor league baseball before fully dedicating themselves to the NFL.<\/p>\n

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These stories highlight a fascinating intersection between two of America\u2019s biggest professional sports leagues. They also serve as a reminder that many of the NFL\u2019s most recognizable names were once elite multi-sport athletes whose talents extended far beyond the gridiron. From Heisman Trophy winners to Hall of Famers, these players represent some of the most versatile and gifted competitors in modern sports history.<\/p>\n

Deion Sanders\"Deion<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds centerfielder Deion Sanders in action at the plate during the 1997 season. Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK<\/p>\n

Deion Sanders is one of the rare athletes who successfully played both professional football and baseball. The Atlanta Falcons selected him fifth overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, while the New York Yankees drafted him in the 30th round of the 1988 MLB Draft. Sanders went on to play nine MLB seasons, including time with the Yankees and the Atlanta Braves, even appearing in the 1992 World Series. Meanwhile, his NFL career turned him into a Hall of Fame cornerback and one of the most electrifying playmakers in league history.<\/p>\n

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Kyler Murray\"Kyler<\/p>\n

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray attends the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning at Chase Field. Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Kyler Murray was one of the most highly regarded dual-sport prospects in recent memory. The Oakland Athletics selected him ninth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft as an outfielder while he was starring at Oklahoma. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018, Murray chose to pursue football instead of baseball. The Arizona Cardinals then selected him first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, launching his NFL career as a dynamic quarterback.<\/p>\n

Tom Brady\"Tom<\/p>\n

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws out the first pitch during opening ceremonies for the Boston Red Sox home opener against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Before becoming the most decorated quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady was also drafted in Major League Baseball. The Montreal Expos selected him in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft as a catcher out of high school. Brady ultimately chose football and went on to play at Michigan before entering the NFL. The New England Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, where he went on to win seven Super Bowls.<\/p>\n

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Patrick Mahomes\"Patrick<\/p>\n

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes warms up on field at the annual Big Slick celebrity softball game prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies at Kauffman Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Patrick Mahomes grew up around baseball thanks to his father, former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes. The Detroit Tigers drafted him in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft as a pitcher and outfielder. Mahomes chose to pursue football instead and played at Texas Tech before entering the NFL Draft. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the first round in 2017, and he quickly became one of the league\u2019s elite quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

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Russell Wilson\"Russell<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson during Texas Rangers practice at Surprise Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Russell Wilson actually played professional baseball before becoming an NFL star. The Colorado Rockies selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft as a second baseman, and he spent time in their minor league system. Wilson later shifted his focus entirely to football and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He went on to become a franchise quarterback and led Seattle to a Super Bowl victory.<\/p>\n

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A.J. Brown\"A.J.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

A.J. Brown was a standout multi-sport athlete during his time at Ole Miss. The San Diego Padres drafted him in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft as an outfielder. Brown ultimately chose football and quickly emerged as one of college football\u2019s top receivers. The Tennessee Titans selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he later became a star with the Philadelphia Eagles.<\/p>\n

Bo Jackson\"Bo<\/p>\n

Bo Jackson greets fans as he enters the stadium for his Royals Hall of Fame induction prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Bo Jackson remains one of the most famous dual-sport athletes in sports history. The Kansas City Royals drafted him in 1986, and he became an MLB All-Star outfielder known for his incredible power and speed. In football, Jackson starred as a running back for the Los Angeles Raiders after being selected in the 1987 NFL Draft. His legendary athleticism produced unforgettable highlights in both sports.<\/p>\n

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Jameis Winston\"Jameis<\/p>\n

Florida State Seminoles pitcher\/outfielder Jameis Winston (44) works out prior to the game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Jameis Winston was a two-sport standout at Florida State, excelling as both a quarterback and a pitcher. The Texas Rangers selected him in the 15th round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Winston ultimately focused on football and went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2013. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers later selected him first overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Way too early NFL MVP odds for 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

John Elway\"John<\/p>\n

Former American football player John Elway in attendance between the Cleveland Guardians against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Coors Field. Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

John Elway was also considered a strong baseball prospect before entering the NFL. The New York Yankees drafted him in the second round of the 1981 MLB Draft as an outfielder. Elway chose football and became the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft before being traded to the Denver Broncos. He went on to lead Denver to two Super Bowl championships and became one of the greatest quarterbacks of his era.<\/p>\n

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Johnny Manziel\"Johnny<\/p>\n

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel before throwing out the first pitch prior to the San Diego Padres game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Johnny Manziel was drafted by Major League Baseball before beginning his NFL career. The San Diego Padres selected him in the 28th round of the 2014 MLB Draft as a shortstop, recognizing his athletic ability. Manziel instead focused on football after his exciting career at Texas A&M, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2012. He was later drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.<\/p>\n

Dan Marino\"Dan<\/p>\n

NFL former player Dan Marino signs autographs prior to the game between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Dan Marino was also drafted in Major League Baseball before becoming an NFL legend. The Kansas City Royals selected him in the fourth round of the 1979 MLB Draft as an outfielder. Marino chose football and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh. The Miami Dolphins selected him in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, and he became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history.<\/p>\n

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Ricky Williams\"Ricky<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns running back Ricky Williams (34) runs with the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas defeated Texas A&M 26-24. Credit: USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Ricky Williams attracted interest from Major League Baseball before his football career took off. The Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB Draft as an outfielder. Williams chose football and became a star at Texas, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1998. He was later selected fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints and went on to have a productive NFL career.<\/p>\n

Conclusion\"Conclusion\"<\/p>\n

Florida Marlins shortstop Alex Arias (right) in action against Cincinnati Reds base runner Deion Sanders (12) at Dolphin Stadium during the 1994 season. Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

While most athletes specialize in a single sport long before reaching the professional level, these players proved they had the ability to compete in two. Whether they briefly pursued baseball or simply had the option to do so, their MLB draft selections reflect just how extraordinary their athletic potential was. Ultimately, football became the stage where many of them made their greatest impact, but their connection to baseball remains an intriguing part of their stories. Together, they represent a unique group of athletes whose talents once placed them at the crossroads of two major professional sports.<\/p>\n

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The post Notable NFL player who were drafted to MLB<\/a> appeared first on The Big Lead<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The worlds of the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) rarely overlap, but every so…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":605713,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2276],"tags":[78760,13975,22,46,5,26133,48,50,16200,51,52,41753,10364,53,15228,78647,4065,55,18118,19,2291,17252,4,1586,258,17253,17254,62,20823,53619,18793,12701,25,64,33567,18,1304,10277,468,15491,8044,69,31002,14723,71],"class_list":{"0":"post-605712","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb-draft","8":"tag-a-j-brown","9":"tag-arizona-cardinals","10":"tag-arizona-diamondbacks","11":"tag-atlanta-braves","12":"tag-baseball","13":"tag-bo-jackson","14":"tag-boston-red-sox","15":"tag-cincinnati-reds","16":"tag-cleveland-browns","17":"tag-cleveland-guardians","18":"tag-colorado-rockies","19":"tag-deion-sanders","20":"tag-denver-broncos","21":"tag-detroit-tigers","22":"tag-florida-marlins","23":"tag-jameis-winston","24":"tag-kansas-city-chiefs","25":"tag-kansas-city-royals","26":"tag-kyler-murray","27":"tag-major-league-baseball","28":"tag-major-league-baseball-draft","29":"tag-miami-dolphins","30":"tag-mlb","31":"tag-mlb-draft","32":"tag-national-football-league","33":"tag-new-england-patriots","34":"tag-new-orleans-saints","35":"tag-new-york-yankees","36":"tag-nfl-draft","37":"tag-nfl-history","38":"tag-patrick-mahomes","39":"tag-philadelphia-eagles","40":"tag-philadelphia-phillies","41":"tag-pittsburgh-pirates","42":"tag-russell-wilson","43":"tag-san-diego-padres","44":"tag-san-francisco-49ers","45":"tag-seattle-seahawks","46":"tag-shohei-ohtani","47":"tag-tampa-bay-buccaneers","48":"tag-tennessee-titans","49":"tag-texas-rangers","50":"tag-tom-brady","51":"tag-usa-today-sports","52":"tag-washington-nationals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=605712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605712\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/605713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=605712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=605712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=605712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}